Apple's much-rumored iWatch has been depicted as a standalone device able to function as a typical smart watch and monitor everything from glucose to blood pressure, but a new report from Brian Dolan of MobiHealthNews (via NetworkWorld) suggests that the iWatch's actual functionality may be somewhat more simple, with Apple aiming to make the health-tracking experience more accessible to everyone.

In a report that covers existing rumors and predictions for Apple's iWatch, Dolan aggregates known information and adds a few tidbits from his own sources, which he says "have limited but direct knowledge of Apple's plans for the iWatch and Healthbook."

While rumors have indicated the iWatch may be a standalone device able to function without an iPhone, that may not be the case. Poised as a peripheral device, the iWatch may require connectivity to a smartphone for its full functionality.

Throughout 2013, Apple made a number of health and sensor related hires for its iWatch, indicating the device could potentially track a wide range of health-related functions with advanced sensors, including glucose sensing and hydration levels.

Actual iWatch functionality may be somewhat more simple, however, as many of the hires are said to be focusing on making basic health-tracking functions more effective. Some of the hires' more exotic expertise, in fields like blood and glucose monitoring, may not make it into the iWatch.

Quote:

A source tells us that the team Apple has assembled is intended to ensure that the health sensing capabilities of the device are efficacious. Some fitness tracking devices available today primarily give users feedback in the form of an arbitrary points system -- like Nike Fuel. Apple will likely not do this, but instead focus on real metrics like calories. Having a team with such advanced pedigrees will help ensure Apple's device is accurate. Don't expect glucose sensing though.

Today's report confirms the existence of the Healthbook concept that was detailed in late January, but could not verify the app's rumored name. The app is said to serve as a repository for all health and fitness information and could integrate not only with the iWatch, but other health-tracking apps and devices on the market. It focuses on simple concepts like exercise, diet, sleep, stress, and medication adherence.

Apple's overall focus with the iWatch is said to be on the experience rather than the technology. With the iWatch and its accompanying health-related app, Apple aims to make health tracking "a mass market behavior" by increasing its mass market appeal and moving the concept beyond something that interests just "data-obsessed" people.

The report speculates that Apple's recent FDA meeting may have been about keeping the iWatch unregulated, which would inherently limit its ability to collect and analyze medical data and prevent it from collecting data from regulated medical devices, again pointing to a somewhat more simple device than previous rumors have suggested.

Information on the iWatch remains sketchy, but we may begin to get a clearer picture as we creep nearer to a release date. It is unknown when Apple plans to launch the iWatch, but in the fall alongside iOS 8 is a strong possibility.

Though Brian Dolan does not have an established track record for reporting rumors, he was the first to report on Apple's hiring of former Masimo Chief Medical Officer Michael O'Reilly.

I keep seeing that same image of a bracelet with a screen. It looks cool, but I wonder if it clouds expectation of what the actual device will be. Time and again, we see speculation of devices that can't actually be made only to be disappointed at the reality.

It's unnecessary to temper expectations. We know a smartwatch can't have smartphone capabilities, because of its much smaller size.

The expectations had been getting quite out of hand. Non-invasive glucose monitoring is not broadly available and would likely be expensive and expose Apple to huge regulatory hassle. Not likely to be included.

This story, on the other hand, is not credible enough to reign in expectations. Apple keeps their employees isolated from the big picture. The guy who designed the M7, for example, had no idea it would go in the iPhone 5S, nor did he know any other features of the 5S. Only a very high level exec could know the complete iWatch feature set, and such a person would not be talking to nobodies like the source of this rumor.

I really like that concept mockup in the article, I'd love it if Apple's device looked like that.

At this time I can't really imagine what the true purpose of the iWatch would be. I mean having a phone and the internet in your pocket is an obvious thing now, but it's hard to imagine what the iWatch has to be. But as always, maybe once it's released, it'll all make sense and we won't be able to live without one?

While others may bemoan connectivity, I'm the opposite: why add yet another cellular modem into a device? In an ideal world, I think the iPhone should be your communications device (cellular modem/data connections) while other ecosystem devices (tablets, watches, glasses) use low energy wireless (Bluetooth) to connect to it for extra processing power (smaller devices) or external communications (all devices). Tablets and Phones are really the only devices I see benefitting from a cellular modem, really, and the tablet just because it's a highly portable device like the phone (and has the space and battery power for it).

While rumors have indicated the iWatch may be a standalone device able to function without an iPhone, that may not be the case. Poised as a peripheral device, the iWatch may require connectivity to a smartphone for its full functionality.

What exactly does this mean, though? If it functions just fine if a person goes out for a jog or hiking or whatever and then you connect it to your phone or computer at home to update stuff, great.

But if it requires you to carry both then they're going to be missing out on a big market, IMO. A lot of people are interested in this because they DON'T want to have to carry such a big device or multiple ones.